CN112004476A

CN112004476A - Biological sound measuring device, and operation method and operation program thereof

Info

Publication number: CN112004476A
Application number: CN201980026018.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: 松本直树; 桥野贤治; 朝井庆; 大上直人
Original assignee: Omron Healthcare Co Ltd
Current assignee: Omron Healthcare Co Ltd
Priority date: 2018-04-18
Filing date: 2019-04-10
Publication date: 2020-11-27
Also published as: JP2019187529A; US20210015445A1; WO2019203098A1; DE112019002033T5; JP7183564B2

Abstract

The invention provides a bioacoustic measuring device, an operating method thereof and an operating program thereof, which can prevent the reduction of the measuring precision when a plurality of sound measuring devices are used for measuring bioacoustics. It includes: a first case (31) which houses a first sound measurement device (M1) therein and has an opening (31h) which is closed by a body surface (S) of a living body in a state in which the first sound measurement device is pressed against the body surface (S); a second sound measurement device (M2) provided outside the first casing (31); and a control unit (4) that causes the sound-emitting unit (8) to emit a sound when the opening (31h) is not closed, determines whether or not the relationship between the measurement sensitivities of the first sound measurement device (M1) and the second sound measurement device (M2) satisfies a predetermined condition based on the intensity of the sound measured by the first sound measurement device (M1) and the intensity of the sound measured by the second sound measurement device (M2), and notifies the user when the relationship is determined not to satisfy the predetermined condition.

Description

Biological sound measuring device, and operation method and operation program thereof

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a bioacoustic measurement device used in contact with a surface of a living body, and an operation method and an operation program thereof.

Background

A device is known which takes out, as an electric signal, a biological sound such as a breath sound, an additive sound, which is an abnormal sound during breathing caused by a pathological condition such as wheezing or pleural friction sound, which is a sound of an air flow used for ventilation of an airway and an alveolus, or a heart sound, by a microphone (see, for example, patent document 1).

Patent document 1 describes an adhesive patch for measuring an acoustic signal from a human body. The adhesive patch includes a first microphone for recording a sound signal from the body and a second microphone for recording a surrounding noise signal, and removes noise of a signal detected by the first microphone based on a detection signal of the second microphone.

As described in patent document 1, when two microphones are used to remove noise from an acoustic signal from the body, it is necessary to maintain the sensitivities of the two microphones at the state of manufacture.

Patent documents

2 and 3 disclose a sensitivity adjustment method for each microphone in an electronic device having a plurality of microphones mounted thereon. In this sensitivity adjustment method, a plurality of microphones measure sounds emitted from a speaker, and the sensitivities of the plurality of microphones are adjusted based on the measurement results.

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2011-505997

Patent document 2: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2016-054455

Patent document 3: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2013-219444

In the case where the measurement accuracy of the biological sound is improved by using a plurality of microphones as described in patent document 1, it is necessary to maintain the sensitivity ratios, sensitivity differences, and the like of the plurality of microphones at predetermined values. However, it is assumed that the sensitivity ratios, sensitivity differences, and the like of the plurality of microphones deviate from the values at the time of manufacturing due to the use environment of the apparatus, aging, and the like.

Therefore, it is effective that the bioacoustic measurement apparatus having a plurality of microphones is provided with a check function capable of checking whether or not the sensitivity ratios, the sensitivity differences, and the like of the plurality of microphones are desired values.

For example, as described in

patent documents

2 and 3, a speaker that emits a test sound is provided in the device, and the sensitivity ratio or the sensitivity difference can be obtained based on the intensity of the test sound measured by each of the plurality of microphones.

In a bioacoustic measurement device that measures a bioacoustic sound in a state of contact with a body surface of a living being, a sound measurement device for measuring the bioacoustic sound is disposed in a space sealed by the body surface of the living being, and a sound measurement device for measuring a surrounding sound is disposed in a portion outside the space that is not sealed by the body surface.

In the case where the above-described test function is added to such a bioacoustic measurement device, it is desirable that the space in which the bioacoustic measurement device is disposed be in an unsealed state in order to measure the test sound by the plurality of sound measurement devices under the same condition.

Patent documents

2 and 3 describe that sensitivity adjustment of a plurality of microphones is performed. However, the plurality of microphones are not used for measuring a biological sound, and the above problem is not recognized.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a bioacoustic measurement device, an operation method of the bioacoustic measurement device, and an operation program of the bioacoustic measurement device that can prevent a decrease in measurement accuracy when measuring a bioacoustic using a plurality of sound measurement devices.

(1) A bioacoustic measurement device includes a main body portion having: a first sound measuring device for measuring a biological sound; a housing that houses the first sound measurement device therein and has an opening that is closed by a body surface of a living body in a state of being pressed against the body surface; a second sound measuring device provided outside the casing and measuring sound around the casing; and a control unit that causes a sound generating unit to generate a sound in a state where the opening of the casing is not closed, determines whether or not a relationship between the measurement sensitivity of the first sound measuring device and the measurement sensitivity of the second sound measuring device satisfies a predetermined condition based on the intensity of the sound measured by the first sound measuring device and the intensity of the sound measured by the second sound measuring device, and notifies that the measurement accuracy of the biological sound cannot be ensured or adjusts the measurement sensitivity of one or both of the first sound measuring device and the second sound measuring device when it is determined that the relationship does not satisfy the condition.

According to this configuration, since the sound is emitted from the sound emitting portion in a state where the opening of the case is not closed, the sound can be measured by the first sound measuring device and the second sound measuring device under substantially the same conditions. Therefore, it is possible to determine with high accuracy whether or not the relation of the measurement sensitivity satisfies the condition. In addition, when the condition is not satisfied, for example, the notification cannot ensure the measurement accuracy of the biological sound. Therefore, the measurement of the biological sound can be prevented from being performed in a state where the condition is not satisfied, and the measurement accuracy of the biological sound can be prevented from being lowered. Alternatively, when the condition is not satisfied, the measurement sensitivities of the first sound measurement device and the second sound measurement device are adjusted to satisfy the condition, for example. Therefore, the measurement of the biological sound can be prevented from being performed in a state where the condition is not satisfied, and the measurement accuracy of the biological sound can be prevented from being lowered.

(2) The bioacoustic measurement apparatus described in (1) further includes a cover member that is attachable to and detachable from the main body, the cover member covering the case and the second sound measurement unit in a state where the opening of the case is not closed, the sound generating unit is disposed at a position covered by the cover member in a state where the cover member is attached to the main body, and the control unit determines that the opening of the case is not closed in a case where attachment of the cover member is detected.

According to this structure, by attaching the cover member, it is difficult for external sound to reach the inside of the cover member. Therefore, it is possible to prevent sounds other than the sound emitted from the sound emitting unit from being measured by the first sound measuring device and the second sound measuring device, and it is possible to determine with high accuracy whether or not the relationship of the measurement sensitivity satisfies the condition.

(3) The bioacoustic measurement apparatus described in (2) above, wherein the cover member is made of a material that prevents sound that can be measured by the first sound measurement device and the second sound measurement device from passing therethrough.

According to this structure, by attaching the cover member, it is difficult for external sound to reach the inside of the cover member. Therefore, it is possible to determine with high accuracy whether or not the relation of the measurement sensitivity satisfies the condition.

(4) The bioacoustic measurement apparatus described in (3) above, wherein the controller detects that the cover member is attached when the intensity of the sound measured by the first sound measuring device or the second sound measuring device is equal to or less than a predetermined first threshold value.

According to this configuration, since a special sensor or the like for detecting attachment of the cover member is not required, downsizing and cost reduction can be achieved.

(5) The bioacoustic measurement apparatus according to any one of (2) to (4), wherein the sound generating unit is provided on the cover member.

According to this configuration, since the cover member includes the sound emitting portion, the main body portion can be downsized.

(6) The bioacoustic measurement apparatus according to any one of (2) to (4), wherein the main body further includes the sound emitting portion.

According to this configuration, since the sound emitting unit is provided in the main body, the control unit can easily control the sound emitting unit, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

(7) In the bioacoustic measurement device described in (1), the control unit may cause the sound emitting unit to emit the sound in the state where the opening of the casing is not closed and in a case where an intensity of the sound measured by the first sound measuring device or the second sound measuring device is equal to or less than a predetermined second threshold value.

According to this configuration, the determination can be performed in a state where the apparatus is placed in an environment where sound is quiet. Therefore, the determination can be performed with high accuracy.

(8) The bioacoustic measurement device of (1) or (7), wherein the main body further includes the sound emitting portion.

According to this configuration, the control unit can easily control the sound emitting unit, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

(9) A method for operating a bioacoustic measurement device, the bioacoustic measurement device comprising: a first sound measuring device for measuring a biological sound; a housing that houses the first sound measurement device therein and has an opening that is closed by a body surface of a living body in a state of being pressed against the body surface; and a second sound measuring device provided outside the casing and measuring a sound around the casing, wherein the method of operating the bioacoustic measurement device includes: the method includes the steps of causing a sound generating unit to generate a sound in a state where the opening of the casing is not closed, determining whether or not a relationship between the measurement sensitivity of the first sound measuring device and the measurement sensitivity of the second sound measuring device satisfies a predetermined condition based on the intensity of the sound measured by the first sound measuring device and the intensity of the sound measured by the second sound measuring device, and notifying that the measurement accuracy of the biological sound cannot be ensured or adjusting the measurement sensitivity of one or both of the first sound measuring device and the second sound measuring device when it is determined that the relationship does not satisfy the condition.

(10) An operation program of a bioacoustic measurement device, the bioacoustic measurement device comprising: a first sound measuring device for measuring a biological sound; a housing that houses the first sound measurement device therein and has an opening that is closed by a body surface of a living body in a state of being pressed against the body surface; and a second sound measuring device provided outside the casing and measuring a sound around the casing, wherein the operation program of the bioacoustic measurement device causes a computer to execute: the method includes the steps of causing a sound generating unit to generate a sound in a state where the opening of the casing is not closed, determining whether or not a relationship between the measurement sensitivity of the first sound measuring device and the measurement sensitivity of the second sound measuring device satisfies a predetermined condition based on the intensity of the sound measured by the first sound measuring device and the intensity of the sound measured by the second sound measuring device, and notifying that the measurement accuracy of the biological sound cannot be ensured or adjusting the measurement sensitivity of one or both of the first sound measuring device and the second sound measuring device when it is determined that the relationship does not satisfy the condition.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a bioacoustic measurement device, an operation method of the bioacoustic measurement device, and an operation program of the bioacoustic measurement device, which can prevent a decrease in measurement accuracy when measuring a bioacoustic using a plurality of sound measurement devices.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration example of a main body 1 of a bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100.

Fig. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the main body 1 shown in fig. 1 along the line a-a.

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of the storage case 10 that stores the main body 1 shown in fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the storage case 10 in a state where the body 1 is stored.

Fig. 5 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the operation of the bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100 in the examination mode.

Fig. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100A as a modification of the bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100.

Fig. 7 is a side view of a bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100B as a modification of the bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100.

Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100C as a fourth modification of the bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100.

Fig. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the bioacoustic measurement device 100C shown in fig. 8 taken along line B-B.

Fig. 10 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the operation in the examination mode of the bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100C shown in fig. 8.

Detailed Description

(overview of the bioacoustic measurement device of the embodiment)

First, an outline of an embodiment of the bioacoustic measurement device of the present invention will be described. The bioacoustic measurement device according to the embodiment measures lung sounds (breath sounds and extra sounds) as an example of bioacoustics from a human body, and notifies the content when it is determined that the measurement sounds include wheezing. This assists in determining whether or not the administration of the medication to the subject is necessary, determining whether or not the subject is to be transported to the hospital, diagnosing the subject by a doctor, or the like.

The bioacoustic measurement device of the embodiment includes a main body portion including a first sound measurement device for measuring a lung sound, a second sound measurement device for measuring a surrounding sound, and a sound generation portion for generating a test sound, and measures the lung sound of a living being by the first sound measurement device by sealing a space in which the first sound measurement device is housed by a body surface. The second sound measuring device is used, for example, to remove noise other than lung sound contained in the sound measured by the first sound measuring device.

In the body section of the bioacoustic measurement device according to the embodiment, the sound emitting section emits the test sound in a state where the space in which the first sound measurement device is disposed is not sealed by the body surface. Then, based on the intensity of the test sound measured by the first sound measuring device and the intensity of the test sound measured by the second sound measuring device, it is determined whether or not the relationship between the measurement sensitivity of the first sound measuring device and the measurement sensitivity of the second sound measuring device satisfies a predetermined condition, and when it is determined that the relationship does not satisfy the condition, notification is performed or adjustment of the measurement sensitivity of one or both of the first sound measuring device and the second sound measuring device is performed.

Examples of the content of the notification include a notification that wheezing cannot be detected, a notification that measurement of a biological sound is prohibited and a notification that a repair device is urged. In addition, the measurement sensitivity of one or both of the first sound measuring device and the second sound measuring device is adjusted so as to satisfy the above-described conditions.

By this processing, even when the measurement sensitivity ratio or the measurement sensitivity difference between the first sound measuring device and the second sound measuring device deviates from the value at the time of manufacture, the measurement sensitivity ratio or the measurement sensitivity difference can be corrected or the measurement of the lung sound can be prohibited. Therefore, the lung sound can be prevented from being measured in a state where the measurement sensitivity ratio or the measurement sensitivity difference deviates from a desired value, and the accuracy of measuring the lung sound can be prevented from being lowered.

Next, a specific configuration example of the bioacoustic measurement apparatus according to the embodiment will be described.

(embodiment mode)

As shown in fig. 4, a bioacoustic measurement device 100, which is an embodiment of a bioacoustic measurement device according to the present invention described below, includes a main body 1 and a storage case 10 for storing the main body 1.

Fig. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration example of a main body 1 of a bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100. As shown in fig. 1, the main body 1 has a bar-shaped grip portion 1b made of a box made of resin, metal, or the like, and a head portion 1a is provided at one end side of the grip portion 1 b.

The grip portion 1b is provided with: a control unit 4 for controlling the whole of the bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100; a battery 5 for supplying a voltage necessary for operation; and a display unit 6 for displaying an image on a liquid crystal display panel, an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display panel, or the like. A terminal group 7 for electrical connection to a storage case 10 described later is provided on the other end side of the grip portion 1 b.

The control Unit 4 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and the like, and controls each hardware of the bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100 according to a program. The ROM of the control unit 4 stores a program including an operation program of the bioacoustic measurement apparatus.

The head portion 1a is provided with a measurement unit 3 and a sound emitting portion 8, and the measurement unit 3 protrudes toward one side (lower side in fig. 1) in a direction substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the grip portion 1 b. A pressure receiving portion 3a is provided at the distal end of the measurement unit 3, and the pressure receiving portion 3a is in contact with the body surface S of the living body of the measurement subject and receives pressure from the body surface S.

The body section 1 is used in a state where the index finger of the hand Ha of the user is placed on the back surface of the measurement unit 3 in the head section 1a, for example, the pressure receiving section 3a of the measurement unit 3 is pressed against the body surface S by the index finger.

As shown in fig. 2, the measurement unit 3 includes: a first sound measuring device M1 for measuring sound; a first case 31 having a bottomed cylindrical shape, housing the first sound measurement device M1 in a housing space SP1 inside, and having an opening 31h closed by the body surface S in a state of being pressed against the body surface S of the living being; a case cover 32 that closes the opening 31h from the outside of the first case 31 and covers the first case 31; a second sound measuring device M2 for measuring sound; and a second casing 34 having an opening 34h and formed with a housing space SP2 for housing the second sound measuring device M2.

The measurement unit 3 is fitted into an opening formed in the case 2 constituting the head 1a in a state where a part of the case cover 32 is exposed, and is fixed to the case 2.

The distal end portion of the housing cover 32 exposed from the case 2 is a flat surface or a curved surface, and the flat surface or the curved surface constitutes the pressure receiving portion 3 a. The case 2 is made of resin or the like that is permeable to sound.

The first sound measuring device M1 is used for measuring a lung sound which is a biological sound, and is configured by, for example, a MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) microphone or a capacitance microphone which measures a sound in a wider frequency band (for example, a frequency band of 10Hz to 10 kHz) than a frequency band (generally, 10Hz to 1 kHz) of the lung sound.

The first sound measuring device M1 is electrically connected to the control unit 4 shown in fig. 1 by a lead wire or the like, not shown, and transmits information of the measured sound to the control unit 4.

When the main body unit 1 is used, the pressure receiving portion 3a of the housing cover 32 is in contact with the body surface S, and the housing space SP1 is sealed by the body surface S via the housing cover 32 by the pressure from the body surface S (this state is hereinafter referred to as a sealed state).

Then, if the pressure receiving portion 3a vibrates due to the lung sound transmitted from the living body to the body surface S, the internal pressure of the housing space SP1 fluctuates due to the vibration, and the first sound measuring device M1 measures an electric signal corresponding to the lung sound by the internal pressure fluctuation.

The first housing 31 has a shape that protrudes substantially downward in fig. 2, and is made of a material having higher acoustic impedance than air and higher rigidity, such as resin or metal. The first casing 31 is made of a material that reflects sound in the measurement band of the first sound measurement device M1 so that sound is not transmitted from the outside to the inside of the housing space SP1 in a sealed state.

The case cover 32 is a bottomed cylindrical member, and the shape of the hollow portion of the case cover 32 substantially matches the outer wall shape of the first case 31.

The housing cover 32 is made of a flexible material having acoustic impedance close to that of a human body, air, or water, and excellent biocompatibility. As a material of the housing cover 32, for example, silicon, an elastomer, or the like is used.

The second sound measuring device M2 is used to measure sounds around the first casing 31 (environmental sounds such as human sounds, frictional sounds between the main body 1 and living things or clothing), and is configured by, for example, a MEMS microphone or a capacitance microphone that measures sounds in a wider frequency band (for example, a frequency band of 10Hz to 10 kHz) than the frequency band of lung sounds.

The second sound measuring device M2 is electrically connected to the control unit 4 shown in fig. 1 by a lead wire or the like, not shown, and transmits information of the measured sound to the control unit 4.

The second sound measuring device M2 is fixed to the surface of the first casing 31 on the side opposite to the pressure receiving portion 3 a. The second casing 34 covers the periphery of the second sound measuring instrument M2. The second casing 34 is made of a material (e.g., resin) that facilitates the sound generated around the main body 1 to enter the housing space SP2 that houses the second sound measuring instrument M2.

In addition, an opening 34h is formed in the second housing 34. Therefore, it is configured that the sound generated around the main body portion 1 also easily enters from the opening 34 h.

In the example of fig. 2, the second sound measuring device M2 is provided in the measuring unit 3, but the location of the second sound measuring device M2 is not particularly limited as long as it can measure the sound generated around the first casing 31. For example, the second sound measuring instrument M2 may be provided at a portion of the grip portion 1b other than the head portion 1a, which is less likely to be touched by the user during use.

The sound generating unit 8 provided in the main body 1 shown in fig. 1 is controlled by the control unit 4, and generates sounds in frequency bands that can be measured by each of the first sound measuring device M1 and the second sound measuring device M2 as test sounds. The sound emitting unit 8 may be any sound emitting unit as long as it can convert an electric signal into physical vibration, and various speakers may be used, for example.

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of the storage case 10 that stores the main body 1 shown in fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the storage case 10 in a state where the body 1 is stored.

The storage case 10 includes a base 11 and a bottomed cylindrical lid 12 detachable from the base 11.

The base 11 is provided with: a display unit 13 for displaying an image on a liquid crystal display panel, an organic EL display panel, or the like; a recess 14 for inserting the other end of the grip portion 1b of the main body 1 into the main body 1 and supporting the main body 1; a terminal group 15 disposed at the bottom of the recess 14; a contact sensor 16 for detecting contact between the base 11 and the cover 12; and a wiring 17.

As shown in fig. 4, in a state where main body 1 is inserted into recess 14, terminal group 15 of base 11 is electrically connected to terminal group 7 of main body 1.

As shown in fig. 3, the terminal group 15 is connected to the display unit 13 and the contact sensor 16 by a wiring 17. Therefore, in a state where the main body portion 1 is inserted into the recess 14, an output signal of the contact sensor 16 is transmitted to the control portion 4 of the main body portion 1 via the wiring 17, the terminal group 15, and the terminal group 7. The contact sensor 16 is composed of, for example, a piezoelectric element, and transmits an attachment detection signal to the control unit 4 when the lid 12 is attached to the base 11.

In a state where the main body 1 is inserted into the recess 14, the control unit 4 of the main body 1 controls the display unit 13 via the terminal group 7, the terminal group 15, and the wiring 17.

As shown in fig. 4, in a state where the main body 1 is inserted into the recess 14 and supported by the base 11 and the lid 12 is attached to the base 11 (in other words, in a state where the storage case 10 is attached to the main body 1), the main body 1 is disposed in a storage space SP3 surrounded by the inner wall of the lid 12 and the base 11.

In this state, as shown in fig. 4, the pressure receiving portion 3a of the measurement unit 3 does not contact the inner wall of the cover 12, and the opening 31h of the first case 31 of the measurement unit 3 is not closed. The sound emitting portion 8 of the main body 1 is disposed inside the storage case 10 (inside the storage space SP 3).

In this way, in the state where the storage case 10 is attached to the body section 1, the storage case 10 covers the first casing 31 and the second sound measuring device M2 without closing the opening 31h of the first casing 31 of the body section 1. The storage case 10 constitutes a cover member.

The materials of base 11 and lid 12 of storage case 10 are not particularly limited, but preferably are materials that make it difficult for sound to enter storage space SP3 from outside storage case 10.

For example, the materials of the base 11 and the lid 12 of the storage case 10 are preferably materials that prevent sounds in the frequency bands that can be measured by the first sound measuring device M1 and the second sound measuring device M2 from being transmitted (reflected). As such a material, for example, metal such as SUS, silicon, or rubber such as polyurethane can be used.

The main body 1 of the bioacoustic measurement device 100 is equipped with a measurement mode for measuring lung sounds and determining whether wheezing is present (detecting wheezing). In the measurement mode, the control unit 4 determines whether or not the lung sounds include wheezing based on the first sound measured by the first sound measuring device M1 and the second sound measured by the second sound measuring device M2.

For example, the control unit 4 removes noise other than the lung sound mixed in the first sound measured by the first sound measuring device M1, based on the second sound measured by the second sound measuring device M2. When the first sound from which the noise is removed is, for example, equal to or more than the intensity at which the degree of wheezing can be determined, the control unit 4 determines that there is "wheezing".

Alternatively, when the intensity of the first sound measured at a certain timing is a value that is considered to whet, the control unit 4 refers to the second sound measured at that timing, and when the intensity of the second sound is high, determines that the influence of the external sound is large, and determines that there is no whet at that timing.

In order to ensure such accuracy of the determination of the presence or absence of wheezing, the measurement sensitivity SM1 and the measurement sensitivity SM2 are set in advance at the time of manufacturing the bioacoustic measurement device 100 so that the relationship between the measurement sensitivity SM1 of the first sound measurement device M1 and the measurement sensitivity SM2 of the second sound measurement device M2 satisfies a predetermined condition. The measurement sensitivity of the sound measurement device is a ratio of an analog output voltage value or a digital output value of the sound measurement device to an input sound pressure.

The relationship is, for example, a ratio of the measurement sensitivity SM1 to the measurement sensitivity SM2, or a difference between the measurement sensitivity SM1 and the measurement sensitivity SM 2.

The condition is, for example, that the ratio falls within a predetermined range or the difference falls within a predetermined range.

As described above, the measurement sensitivity SM1 of the first sound meter M1 and the measurement sensitivity SM2 of the second sound meter M2 may deviate from the values set at the time of manufacturing the bioacoustic measurement device 100 due to aging or the like.

Therefore, the main body unit 1 of the bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100 is provided with an inspection mode for inspecting the relationship between the measurement sensitivity of each of the first acoustic measurement device M1 and the second acoustic measurement device M2, in addition to the measurement modes described above.

In this inspection mode, the control unit 4 determines whether or not the opening 31h of the first housing 31 is not closed, and when it is determined that the opening is in this state, causes the sound emitting unit 8 to emit a test sound.

In the bioacoustic measurement device 100, when the main body portion 1 is housed in the housing case 10 (in other words, when the housing case 10 is attached to the main body portion 1), the opening 31h of the first case 31 is not closed. Therefore, when detecting that the storage case 10 is attached to the main body 1, the control unit 4 determines that the opening 31h of the first casing 31 is not closed, and causes the sound emitting unit 8 to emit a test sound.

When receiving the contact detection signal from the contact sensor 16, the control unit 4 detects that the storage case 10 is attached to the main body 1.

In the inspection mode, after the sound-emitting unit 8 emits the test sound, the control unit 4 determines whether or not the relationship between the measurement sensitivity SM1 and the measurement sensitivity SM2 satisfies the above-described condition based on the intensity M1 of the test sound measured by the first sound measuring device M1 and the intensity M2 of the test sound measured by the second sound measuring device M2, and performs control corresponding to the determination result.

When determining that the relationship does not satisfy the condition, the control unit 4 performs, for example, control for notifying the user that the measurement accuracy of the biological sound cannot be ensured as control corresponding to the determination result. The control unit 4 notifies, for example, that wheezing cannot be detected, that lung sounds are prohibited from being measured, and that the repair device is urged by displaying a message on the display unit 13 of the storage case 10.

Note that, a speaker may be mounted in the storage case 10 in advance, and notification may be performed by outputting these messages from the speaker. Alternatively, the main body 1 and an electronic device such as a smartphone may be configured to be able to communicate with each other, and a message may be transmitted from the control unit 4 to the electronic device, and the message may be displayed or a voice may be output using a display or a speaker of the electronic device.

Alternatively, for example, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) may be mounted in advance on the storage case 10, and the control unit 4 may notify the user that the measurement accuracy is not ensured by, for example, Emitting red Light from the LED when it is determined that the relationship does not satisfy the above condition.

When determining that the relationship does not satisfy the condition, the controller 4 may adjust one or both of the measurement sensitivities SM1, SM2 so that the relationship satisfies the condition, and perform control in accordance with the determination result.

In this case, the control unit 4 adjusts the measurement sensitivity SM1 by adjusting the gain of the amplifier mounted on the first sound measuring device M1, and adjusts the measurement sensitivity SM2 by adjusting the gain of the amplifier mounted on the second sound measuring device M2.

(example of operation of the bioacoustic measurement device 100)

If the inspection mode is set, control unit 4 determines whether or not storage cassette 10 is mounted on main body 1 (step S1), and if storage cassette 10 is mounted on main body 1 (step S1: yes), sound emitting unit 8 emits a test sound (step S2).

When the storage cassette 10 is not attached to the main body 1, the control unit 4 repeats the process of step S1. When determining that the time during which storage cassette 10 is not attached to main body 1 is equal to or longer than a predetermined time, control unit 4 may notify the user of the fact that display unit 6 of main body 1 displays a message urging storage in storage cassette 10.

If a test sound is emitted in step S2, the test sound is measured by the first sound meter M1 and the second sound meter M2, respectively (step S3).

After the measurement of the test sound in step S3, the control unit 4 acquires the intensity M1 of the test measured by the first sound measuring device M1 and the intensity M2 of the test measured by the second sound measuring device M2, calculates the measurement sensitivity SM1 from the intensity M1 and the intensity of the test sound, and calculates the measurement sensitivity SM2 from the intensity M2 and the intensity of the test sound (step S4).

Next, the controller 4 obtains the ratio or difference between the measurement sensitivity SM1 and the measurement sensitivity SM2 calculated in step S4, and determines whether or not the ratio or difference is within a predetermined range (predetermined range) (step S5).

When the ratio or difference falls within the predetermined range (yes in step S5), control unit 4 displays on display unit 13 of storage box 10 that wheezing can be detected and notifies the user (step S6).

When the ratio or difference is outside the predetermined range (no in step S5), control unit 4 displays on display unit 13 of storage box 10 that wheezing cannot be detected and notifies the user (step S7).

In step S7, as described above, the control unit 4 may adjust the sensitivity of one or both of the first sound measuring instrument M1 and the second sound measuring instrument M2 so that the relationship between the measurement sensitivities SM1 and SM2 calculated in step S4 satisfies the above-described condition, and thereafter, may perform the process of step S6.

(Effect of the bioacoustic measurement device 100)

As described above, according to the bioacoustic measurement device 100, in the inspection mode, the test sound is emitted from the sound emitting portion 8 in a state where the opening 31h of the first housing 31 is not closed. Therefore, the measurement of the test sound can be performed by the first sound measuring instrument M1 and the second sound measuring instrument M2 under substantially the same conditions. Therefore, it is possible to determine with high accuracy whether or not the relationship between the measurement sensitivities of the first sound measuring device M1 and the second sound measuring device M2 satisfies the condition.

When this condition is not satisfied, for example, a notification that wheezing cannot be detected or a notification that use of the apparatus is prohibited and repair is urged is performed. Therefore, the lung sound can be prevented from being measured in a state where the condition is not satisfied, and the accuracy of measuring the lung sound can be prevented from being lowered.

Alternatively, when the condition is not satisfied, the measurement sensitivities of the first sound measuring device M1 and the second sound measuring device M2 are adjusted to satisfy the condition. Therefore, the lung sound can be prevented from being measured in a state where the condition is not satisfied, and the accuracy of measuring the lung sound can be prevented from being lowered.

Further, according to the bioacoustic measurement device 100, if the main body portion 1 is stored in the storage case 10, external sounds other than the test sound emitted from the sound emitting portion 8 hardly reach the first sound measurement device M1 and the second sound measurement device M2 mounted on the main body portion 1.

Therefore, it is possible to prevent the sounds other than the test sound emitted from the sound emitting unit 8 from being mixed into the first sound measuring device M1 and the second sound measuring device M2, and the determination in step S5 in fig. 5 can be performed with high accuracy.

In addition, when the materials of the base 11 and the lid 12 of the storage case 10 are made of materials that can prevent sounds in the frequency bands that can be measured by the first sound measuring device M1 and the second sound measuring device M2 from being transmitted, the following effects can be obtained.

That is, in a state where the main body portion 1 is housed in the storage case 10, the first sound measuring device M1 and the second sound measuring device M2 mounted on the main body portion 1 can measure only the test sound emitted from the sound emitting portion 8. Therefore, the determination in step S5 in fig. 5 can be performed with higher accuracy.

(modification of bioacoustic measurement device 100)

A modification of the bioacoustic measurement device 100 will be described below.

< first modification >

In this modification, it is assumed that the materials of the base 11 and the lid 12 of the storage case 10 are made of materials that can prevent sounds in frequency bands that can be measured by the first sound measuring device M1 and the second sound measuring device M2 from passing through.

In this configuration, the controller 4 may detect that the storage case 10 is mounted to the main body 1 based on the intensity of the sound measured by the first sound measuring device M1 or the second sound measuring device M2.

For example, in step S1 of fig. 5, the control unit 4 may start the measurement of the sound by the first sound measuring device M1 or the second sound measuring device M2, and detect that the storage case 10 is mounted to the main body portion 1 when the intensity of the sound measured by the first sound measuring device M1 or the second sound measuring device M2 is equal to or less than a predetermined first threshold value.

In the first modification, if the storage case 10 is attached to the main body 1, the external sound hardly reaches the first sound measuring device M1 and the second sound measuring device M2. Therefore, the intensity of the sound measured by each of the first sound measuring device M1 and the second sound measuring device M2 is significantly reduced as compared with the case where the main body portion 1 is located outside the storage space SP3 of the storage case 10. Therefore, when the intensity of the sound measured by the first sound measuring device M1 or the second sound measuring device M2 is equal to or less than the first threshold value, it can be determined that the storage case 10 is in the state of being attached to the main body portion 1.

(Effect of the first modification)

According to this first modification, since the contact sensor 16 can be omitted from the housing case 10, the cost of the housing case 10 can be reduced. In addition, even when the contact sensor 16 is omitted, the number of terminals of the terminal group 7 of the control unit 4 can be reduced, and the size and cost of the main body 1 and the housing case 10 can be reduced.

< second modification >

In the bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100, the sound emitting unit 8 is provided in the main body 1, but the sound emitting unit 8 may be provided in the storage case 10. The following is a detailed description.

Fig. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100A as a modification of the bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100. In the biological sound measurement device 100 of the biological sound measurement device 100 shown in fig. 6, the main body 1 is changed to the main body 1A, and the storage case 10 is changed to the storage case 10A.

The hardware configuration of the main body 1A is the same as that of the main body 1, except that the sound-emitting portion 8 is eliminated.

Housing case 10A has the same hardware configuration as housing case 10, except that sound emitting portion 8 is provided on base 11 and sound emitting portion 8 and terminal group 15 are connected by wiring, not shown.

In a state where the lid 12 is attached to the base 11, the sound emitting portion 8 of the housing case 10A is disposed in the housing space SP3 between the base 11 and the lid 12. The sound generating unit 8 is controlled by the control unit 4 of the main body 1A, and is similar to the bioacoustic measurement device 100.

(Effect of the bioacoustic measurement device 100A)

According to the bioacoustic measurement device 100A, the sound emitting unit 8 is disposed in the housing space SP3 between the base 11 and the lid 12 in a state where the main body unit 1A is housed in the housing case 10. Therefore, as in the case of the bioacoustic measurement device 100, it is possible to accurately determine whether or not the relationship between the measurement sensitivity SM1 and the measurement sensitivity SM2 satisfies the condition. Further, since the sound emitting unit 8 is provided in the housing case 10A, the main body 1A can be reduced in size.

< third modification >

The biological sound measurement device 100 is configured to obtain an environment suitable for the inspection mode (a state in which the opening 31h is not closed and sound from the surroundings is blocked) by using the housing case 10 for housing the main body portion 1. However, instead of the storage case 10, a cover member covering a part of the main body 1 may be used to obtain an environment suitable for the inspection mode. The following is a detailed description.

Fig. 7 is a side view of a bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100B as a modification of the bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100. The bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100B shown in fig. 7 includes a main body 1B and a cover member 12A used in an examination mode. Fig. 7 shows a state in which the cover member 12A is attached to the main body portion 1B.

The hardware configuration of the main body 1B is the same as that of the main body 1, except that the terminal group 7 is eliminated.

The cover member 12A is a bottomed cylindrical member for covering a portion of the main body portion 1B where the measurement unit 3 and the sound emitting portion 8 are provided. The cover member 12A is attached to the body 1B by inserting the body 1B into the hollow portion of the cover member 12A from the head 1a side.

In a state where the cover member 12A is attached to the body portion 1B, a gap is formed between the inner wall of the cover member 12A and the pressure receiving portion 3 a. That is, in a state where the cover member 12A is attached to the body portion 1B, the cover member 12A is configured to cover the first case 31, the second sound measuring instrument M2, and the sound emitting portion 8 without closing the opening 31h of the first case 31 of the body portion 1B.

Although the material of the cover member 12A is not particularly limited, it is preferably a material that can prevent sounds in a frequency band that can be measured by each of the first sound measuring device M1 and the second sound measuring device M2 from being transmitted (reflected), as in the case 10.

In the operation in the inspection mode of the bioacoustic measurement device 100B, the control unit 4 performs a process of determining whether or not the cover member 12A is attached to the main body portion 1B, instead of the process of step S1 in the flowchart of fig. 5. When it is determined that the cover member 12A is attached to the main body portion 1B, the control unit 4 performs the processing of step S2 and thereafter.

In the bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100B, as a method for the control unit 4 to detect that the cover member 12A is attached to the main body portion 1B, for example, the following method can be used.

The first method is a method in which a contact sensor is provided in advance in the grip portion 1B of the main body portion 1B and the attachment of the cover member 12A is detected by the contact sensor.

The second method is a method of providing an operation button for inputting completion of attachment of the cover member 12A in the grip portion 1b in advance, for example. In this method, after the user of the bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100B attaches the cover member 12A to the main body portion 1B, the user presses the operation button. If the operation button is pressed, an installation completion signal is input to the control section 4. When receiving the attachment completion signal, the control unit 4 detects that the cover member 12A is attached to the main body portion 1B.

(Effect of the bioacoustic measurement device 100B)

As described above, according to the bioacoustic measurement device 100B, the same effects as those of the bioacoustic measurement device 100 can be obtained. In the bioacoustic measurement device 100B, the cover member 12A does not cover the entire body portion 1B. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the cover member 12A can be reduced, and the cost of the bioacoustic measurement device 100B can be reduced.

< fourth modification >

In the biological sound measurement device 100 described above, the sound emitting unit 8 emits the test sound in a state where the main body 1 is stored in the storage case 10, so that it is difficult to measure sounds other than the test sound emitted from the sound emitting unit 8 by the first sound measuring instrument M1 and the second sound measuring instrument M2.

However, if the main body 1 is present in a quiet environment, the sounds other than the test sound emitted from the sound emitting unit 8 are small, and therefore, the measurement sensitivity of the first sound measuring device M1 and the second sound measuring device M2 can be checked without housing the main body 1 in the housing case 10. In the fourth modification, the bioacoustic measurement device 100C in which the measurement sensitivity is checked without using the storage case 10 will be described.

Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100C as a fourth modification of the bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100. The hardware configuration of the bioacoustic measurement device 100C is the same as that of the main body portion 1 of the bioacoustic measurement device 100, except that the measurement unit 3 is changed to the measurement unit 3A and the terminal group 7 is eliminated. The bioacoustic measurement device 100C is an example of the main body in the claims.

Fig. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the bioacoustic measurement device 100C shown in fig. 8 taken along line B-B. The same structures in fig. 9 as those in fig. 2 are given the same reference numerals.

The measurement unit 3A of the bioacoustic measurement device 100C has the same configuration as the measurement unit 3, except that the contact sensor 35 is added to the surface of the housing cover 32 constituting the pressure receiving portion 3A.

The contact sensor 35 is used to detect contact of an object with the pressure receiving portion 3 a. The contact sensor 35 is constituted by, for example, a piezoelectric sensor, or a combination of a light emitting element that emits light toward the body surface S and a light receiving element that receives reflected light of light from the light emitting element. The contact sensor 35 transmits a contact detection signal to the control section 4 if detecting that the object contacts the pressure receiving section 3 a.

(example of operation of the bioacoustic measurement device 100C)

Fig. 10 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the operation in the examination mode of the bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100C shown in fig. 8. In fig. 10, the same processes as those shown in fig. 5 are assigned the same reference numerals and explanations thereof are omitted.

If the inspection mode is set, the control unit 4 of the bioacoustic measurement device 100C determines whether or not the object is in contact with the pressure receiving portion 3a based on the output signal of the contact sensor 35 (step S10).

When an object contacts the pressure receiving portion 3A, the opening 31h of the measurement unit 3A may be closed by the object. Therefore, the control unit 4 of the bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100C determines that the opening 31h of the measurement unit 3A is in a closed state when the object contacts the pressure receiving portion 3A, and determines that the opening 31h of the measurement unit 3A is in an unclosed state when the object does not contact the pressure receiving portion 3A.

When the object contacts the pressure receiving portion 3a (step S10: yes), the control unit 4 of the bioacoustic measurement device 100C performs the determination of step S10 again. Further, when the time during which the object contacts the pressure receiving portion 3A is equal to or longer than a predetermined time, the control portion 4 of the bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100C may notify the user by displaying a message for urging the user not to make any contact with the measurement unit 3A on the display portion 6.

When it is determined that the object does not contact the pressure receiving portion 3a (no in step S10), the controller 4 of the bioacoustic measurement device 100C acquires information on the sound measured by the first sound measuring device M1 or the second sound measuring device M2, and determines whether or not the intensity of the acquired sound is equal to or less than a predetermined second threshold value (step S11).

The second threshold value is a value for determining whether or not the environment is suitable for measuring the test sound emitted from the sound emitting unit 8, and is set to a value sufficiently lower than the intensity of the test sound emitted from the sound emitting unit 8.

If the determination at step S11 is no, the control unit 4 of the bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100C performs the process at step S11 again. When the time of the determination of no at step S11 is equal to or longer than the predetermined time, the control unit 4 of the bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100C may notify the user of the fact that the display unit 6 displays a message for urging the bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100C to be placed in a silent environment.

If the determination at step S11 is yes, the control unit 4 of the bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100C performs the processing from step S2 to step S5.

If the determination at step S5 is yes, the controller 4 of the bioacoustic measurement device 100C notifies the user that wheezing can be detected by displaying on the display 6 (step S6 a).

If the determination at step S5 is no, the controller 4 of the bioacoustic measurement device 100C notifies the user by displaying on the display 6 that wheezing cannot be detected (step S7 a).

Further, a speaker may be mounted in the bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100C in advance, and the notification may be made in step S7a by outputting from the speaker that wheezing cannot be detected. Alternatively, the bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100C and the electronic device such as the smartphone may be configured to be able to communicate with each other, and the control unit 4 may transmit a message indicating that wheezing cannot be detected to the electronic device, and display the message or output a voice using a display or a speaker of the electronic device.

Alternatively, instead of the display unit 6 of the bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100C, for example, an LED may be mounted in advance, and when the control unit 4 determines that the relationship does not satisfy the above condition, the LED may be caused to emit, for example, red light to notify the user that the measurement accuracy is not ensured.

(Effect of the bioacoustic measurement device 100C)

As described above, according to the bioacoustic measurement device 100C, in the inspection mode, the test sound is emitted from the sound emitting portion 8 in a state where the opening 31h of the first housing 31 is not closed. Therefore, the measurement of the test sound can be performed by the first sound measuring instrument M1 and the second sound measuring instrument M2 under substantially the same conditions. Therefore, it is possible to determine with high accuracy whether or not the relationship between the measurement sensitivities of the first sound measuring device M1 and the second sound measuring device M2 satisfies the condition.

In addition, according to the biological sound measurement device 100C, when the ambient sound is small (step S11: YES), the sound emitting unit 8 emits the test sound. Therefore, the accuracy of calculating the measurement sensitivity can be prevented from being lowered by the sound around the bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100C other than the test sound, and the determination in step S5 in fig. 10 can be performed with high accuracy.

In addition, according to the bioacoustic measurement device 100C, the storage case 10 and the cover member 12A as described above are not required. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the device can be reduced.

If it is assumed that the examination mode is set in a state where the bioacoustic measurement apparatus 100C is in a silent environment, the process of step S11 in fig. 10 is not essential.

The embodiments of the present invention and the modifications thereof have been described above, but the present invention is not limited thereto and can be modified as appropriate. For example, in the above-described embodiment and modification, the first sound measuring device M1 is used to measure the lung sound as a biological sound, but may be used to measure the heart sound as a biological sound, for example. The case cover 32 of the measurement unit 3 or the measurement unit 3A is not essential and may be omitted.

The various embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, but the invention is of course not limited to the examples described. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made within the scope of the claims and that these modifications and variations also fall within the technical scope of the present invention. In addition, the respective components in the above embodiments may be arbitrarily combined without departing from the scope of the inventive concept of the present invention.

In addition, the present application is based on japanese patent application filed on 18/4/2018 (japanese patent application 2018-080190), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Description of the reference numerals

100. 100A, 100B, 100C bioacoustic measuring device

1. 1A, 1B Main body part

1b grip part

1a head

2 case body

3. 3A measurement Unit

3a pressure receiving part

4 control part

5 Battery

6 display part

7 terminal group

8 sounding part

S body surface

Ha hand

31 first casing

31h opening

SP1 accommodating space

32 casing cover

34 second casing

34h opening

SP2 accommodating space

35 contact sensor

M1 first sound measuring device

M2 second sound detector

10. 10A storage box

11 base station

12 cover part

12A cover member

13 display part

14 concave part

15 terminal group

16 contact the sensor.

Claims

1. A bioacoustic measurement device, characterized in that,

comprises a main body part,

the main body portion has:

a first sound measuring device for measuring a biological sound;

a housing that houses the first sound measurement device therein and has an opening that is closed by a body surface of a living body in a state of being pressed against the body surface;

a second sound measuring device provided outside the casing and measuring sound around the casing; and

and a control unit that causes the sound generating unit to generate a sound in a state where the opening of the casing is not closed, determines whether or not a relationship between the measurement sensitivity of the first sound measuring device and the measurement sensitivity of the second sound measuring device satisfies a predetermined condition based on the intensity of the sound measured by the first sound measuring device and the intensity of the sound measured by the second sound measuring device, and notifies that measurement accuracy of the biological sound cannot be ensured or adjusts the measurement sensitivity of one or both of the first sound measuring device and the second sound measuring device when it is determined that the relationship does not satisfy the condition.

2. The bioacoustic measurement device of claim 1,

further comprising a cover member that is attachable to and detachable from the main body portion, the cover member covering the case and the second sound measuring instrument without closing the opening of the case,

the sound emitting portion is disposed at a position covered with the cover member in a state where the cover member is attached to the main body portion,

the control portion determines the state in which the opening of the housing is not closed, in a case where the attachment of the cover member is detected.

3. The bioacoustic measurement device of claim 2, wherein the cover member is formed of a material that prevents the passage of sound that can be measured by the first and second sound measurement instruments.

4. The bioacoustic measurement device according to claim 3, wherein the control unit detects that the cover member is attached when an intensity of the sound measured by the first sound measuring instrument or the second sound measuring instrument is equal to or less than a predetermined first threshold value.

5. The bioacoustic measurement device of any one of claims 2 through 4, wherein the sound generating portion is provided to the cover member.

6. The bioacoustic measurement device of any one of claims 2 through 4, wherein the body portion further comprises the sound emitting portion.

7. The bioacoustic measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit causes the sound emitting unit to emit the sound in the state where the opening of the case is not closed and an intensity of the sound measured by the first sound measuring device or the second sound measuring device is equal to or less than a predetermined second threshold value.

8. The bioacoustic measurement device of claim 1 or 7, wherein the body portion further comprises the sound emitting portion.

9. A method for operating a bioacoustic measurement device, the bioacoustic measurement device comprising: a first sound measuring device for measuring a biological sound; a housing that houses the first sound measurement device therein and has an opening that is closed by a body surface of a living body in a state of being pressed against the body surface; and a second sound measuring device provided outside the casing and measuring sound around the casing,

the method for operating the bioacoustic measurement device is characterized by comprising the following steps:

the method includes the steps of causing a sound generating unit to generate a sound in a state where the opening of the casing is not closed, determining whether or not a relationship between the measurement sensitivity of the first sound measuring device and the measurement sensitivity of the second sound measuring device satisfies a predetermined condition based on the intensity of the sound measured by the first sound measuring device and the intensity of the sound measured by the second sound measuring device, and notifying that the measurement accuracy of the biological sound cannot be ensured or adjusting the measurement sensitivity of one or both of the first sound measuring device and the second sound measuring device when it is determined that the relationship does not satisfy the condition.

10. An operation program of a bioacoustic measurement device, the bioacoustic measurement device comprising: a first sound measuring device for measuring a biological sound; a housing that houses the first sound measurement device therein and has an opening that is closed by a body surface of a living body in a state of being pressed against the body surface; and a second sound measuring device provided outside the casing and measuring sound around the casing,

the operation program of the bioacoustic measurement device is characterized by causing a computer to execute the steps of: